1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a window element for inserting in a window cutout in an aircraft skin, the window element being prepared by masking for painting. The invention further relates to a method of integration of a window in a structural part.
2. Discussion of Background Information
After installation in the window openings in an aircraft fuselage, known window elements are generally painted in the color of the aircraft. For this purpose, the window frame and/or the window surface have to be masked in a complicated manner with films and/or adhesive tapes in order to avoid undesirable soiling of the window surfaces during the painting process. Use is made in this connection of adhesive tapes and/or adhesive films which, after the painting process is ended, can be removed from the masked surfaces of the fuselage without leaving a residue. In addition, the adhesive tapes/adhesive films may be disturbed during the preparatory sanding of the surfaces to be painted, and therefore, under some circumstances, further finishing work, for example in the form of re-adhering masking elements or re-drawing contours using cutter blades arises. For masking, use may also be made of templates, but these likewise have to be fitted individually onto each window element and oriented in order to achieve the desired covering effect in the edge regions too. In the case of passenger aircraft with usually several 100 window elements, the preparatory work for the painting operation proves highly labor-intensive.